Top 5 things to do around Mazatlan, Mexico

We spent 8 days in Mazatlan. This was our second stop after San Carlos. We found a great airbnb in the north part of the city, near the marina. It was a nice modern gated community with great pools and perfect to get acquainted with Mexico. We were near Playa Cerritos and enjoyed a beach that was fairly mellow and less popular. It was the perfect spot for the kids to play in the sand and water. (And for some beach running!). Although Mazatlan might have been more popular 20 years ago, it was a town we did enjoy and found many great amenities and fun things to do. Some of the lodging options are older, but you can also find new and more modern gated communities. In the northern part (where we stayed) there is quite a bit of development and newer hotels (including the Hotel Rui).

Here are some of the top activities we enjoyed and recommend:

This was the swift picture taken at the glass lookout….

Hike up to El Faro (Faro Mazatlan): The lighthouse is located on the most south western point of the city. It is located near the Harbor, which is where you can park your car. (Near the Baja ferries entry). We weren’t sure how this would be as we do like hiking and this seemed short. However we really enjoyed the uphill challenge and the views from the top! At the base of the hill you can purchase tickets for the glass lookout. We purchased them but regretted it as it took an hour to get through the line (which is mainly in a non shaded area) and it was not worth the 30seconds on the lookout! I also suggest you go early as it does get hot and there is not much shade on the hike up. After this good hike, you can stop for lunch at the nearby Paseo Olas Altas.

Walk around old town Mazatlan: as we were staying north of the main city area of Mazatlan we decided to take the bus to downtown. This was easy and cheap (although the bus driver to downtown did charge us 3 x the fair and, as it was our first experience with public transportation, we only found out about the over charge when we paid the same amount on the bus ride back and the driver was honest and said we were paying too much!). Although there are also many parking options (street and paid) in the downtown area. We started at Mercado Pino Suarez Mazatlan, which was interesting and had a great variety of stalls for produce, meat, grains, and snacks. From here we went to the Mazatlan basilica cathedral, which is well worth the stop, and then off to the bustling Plazuela Machado. As we arrived there around 4 pm, vendors were just starting to set up shop. There is a great variety of restaurants and bars if you want to sit down and people watch for a bit. Finally, we walked to the boardwalk (see below) and headed north, enjoying a beautiful sunset on the way.

Mazatlan Malecon: This is the famous and well-kept boardwalk in Mazatlan. It is approximately 6 miles long (this distance is from Wikipedia and the actual distance varies on the source you use, even tripadvisor has it at double the stance Wikipedia mentions!). It is perfect for people watching, exploring the street vendors and performers, or have dinner at one of the sea front restaurants. There are also many statues and gorgeous views from the bay throughout the walk.

Eat delicious seafood: Due to covid we have been cooking more at home and avoiding busy places like restaurants. However, we also didn’t want to miss out on some of the recommendations of our Airbnb host to try some of the delicious places in the area. We went to just 2 - 3 places during our week stay in Mazatlan. Our favorite was Mariscos El Beto. One of the best seafood we have had! They had a great variety of ceviches, tostadas, shrimp dishes, etc but also fish fingers for the kids (although our kids LOVED all the dishes served!) Seating is outdoor, it’s clean and service is very friendly and efficient. To top it off, we had an amazing meal (for 5) for only US$15. There were no tourists but many locals eating (which is always a good sign)

Enjoy a day a the beach: There are many options of beaches in the area. As mentioned above, we stayed at walking distance to playa Cerritos and is where we went a couple of times. Below are some of the other popular beaches:

One of the restaurants near Playa Olas Altas, El Shrimp Bucket!

Playa Brujas: this is the continuation of playa Cerritos. I ran towards the end of this beach and there are several restaurants (palapa style, authentic and cheap) and mini markets as well as rock formations to explore.
Islã de las Piedras: this beach is a 5 min boat ride away and thus less crowded! This is a perfect day trip as it offers many restaurants and beaches to explore.
Playa Olas Altas: this is towards the south part of town (near the lighthouse) and as the name hints, the waves are bigger and a great surfing spot. Very near the centro and with many restaurants nearby.
Golden Zone: this area is the most northern part of the malecon and where most hotels are located. It is a calm beach with a long sandy shore. Many stores and restaurants nearby.

Although we considered Mazatlan just a stop before heading south, we really enjoyed our stay. We felt safe, it was clean, it has many great amenities (like good grocery stores, malls, etc) and a fun place to explore!